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ghostsversion's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I don’t get to say this often, but I really had no idea what this book was actually about when I started reading it. With that being said, I thought this was an interesting story. The dual POV narrative for each “book” was also cool, more so because one was almost always an outsider and the other was very close to Weylyn. The fantastic elements were cool albeit not really explained thoroughly but to be fair that wasn’t the point of the story. Even though the characters weren’t always really perfect, looking at you Lydia with your “fraternity over sorority” crap (internalized misogyny is bad guys) I think that made them more real in a way. The ending was kind of left open in my opinion (what do you mean Mary had a husband? where is he?) but it wasn’t horrendous so whatever.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Animal death, Cursing, and Sexism
Moderate: Infidelity and Death of parent
nicolescottwv's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
caffeinatedfae's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Fatphobia
melaniem03's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was a little quiet, a little whimsical, a little slow, and a lot of heart. The MC from the get go is a bit mysterious and magical but you only get to know him through the POVs of others until the very end. He tells his story in interludes to a young boy - tracing key episodes throughout his life typically through multiple POVs during that period. I enjoyed this as a quiet, subtle read about the magic of the world, and the real magic that lies in our connection to those around us.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent and Animal death
jedore's review
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
"You have all this good inside you, but you give it all away. You don't keep any for yourself."
This is the latest in a string of recently published novels that just didn't really do it for me.
Until the end, this magical realism story was told by secondary characters in the book—only in the second to last chapter did the main character, Weylyn, chime in. Maybe I missed something (big), but I never did fully grasp anything more than he had some magical powers tied to weather and nature (particularly wolves).
Despite reasonably good development, the characters felt flat to me. Being that it's primarily a character driven story, this meant the whole book was flat for me.
Clearly, there are many who would disagree with me as the book is holding a 4+ rating here. I go back to chemistry...we had enough of it to keep me reading until the end, but not enough to stay with me for much longer.
This is the latest in a string of recently published novels that just didn't really do it for me.
Until the end, this magical realism story was told by secondary characters in the book—only in the second to last chapter did the main character, Weylyn, chime in. Maybe I missed something (big), but I never did fully grasp anything more than he had some magical powers tied to weather and nature (particularly wolves).
Despite reasonably good development, the characters felt flat to me. Being that it's primarily a character driven story, this meant the whole book was flat for me.
Clearly, there are many who would disagree with me as the book is holding a 4+ rating here. I go back to chemistry...we had enough of it to keep me reading until the end, but not enough to stay with me for much longer.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Death of parent, and Grief
Moderate: Animal death
Minor: Bullying
machenn's review
adventurous
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal death and Death
lauramcc7's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, and Animal cruelty
motleybooksandtea's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Animal death, Bullying, and Fatphobia
erinwolf1997's review
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Blood, Bullying, and Death
Minor: Alcohol, Death of parent, Fatphobia, and Car accident
lonaargh's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.5
Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance by Ruth Emmie Lang was an emotional rollercoaster. It went from funny to heartbreaking in one seconds and then onwards to being whimsical the next moment.
But all in all it's a pleasant experience that reads a bit like a modern day fairytale. The characters are amazing and well fleshed out.
And the subtle romance was just the cherry on top.
One of the downsides of this book is unresolved character histories. I'd love to know what happened to several of the characters mentioned in the story. It makes the book feel unfinished, unpolished.
A fun and (mostly) lighthearted story with a nice romantic spin on it. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
But all in all it's a pleasant experience that reads a bit like a modern day fairytale. The characters are amazing and well fleshed out.
And the subtle romance was just the cherry on top.
One of the downsides of this book is unresolved character histories. I'd love to know what happened to several of the characters mentioned in the story. It makes the book feel unfinished, unpolished.
A fun and (mostly) lighthearted story with a nice romantic spin on it. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death